New Mexico

America’s Land of Enchantment, New Mexico is bisected north
to south by the Rio Grande. The Great Plains cover much of the eastern third
of the state while mountains and basin and range country lie west of the
Rio Grande Corridor. Other major rivers include the Canadian River, the
Gila River, the Pecos River, and the San Juan River. Many artificial lakes
are in New Mexico, the four largest being Elephant Butte Lake, Conchas Lake,
Navajo Lake, and Caballo Lake. Less than 1% of the state (about 230 square
miles) is covered by water.

What is New Mexico’s maritime heritage?

People have occupied the Rio Grande Corridor and other parts of New Mexico
for over 11,000 years. The earliest people were Paleo-Indian big-game hunters
while later people of the Archaic Period had a more diverse hunting and
gathering lifestyle. About 2,000 years ago, the Ancestral Puebloan and the
Mogollon cultures adopted a more sedentary lifestyle of living in villages,
farming, and trading. By the 1500s when Spanish explorers entered the area,
the ancestors of the Navajo, Apache, Puebloan, and Ute groups were in New
Mexico.

Juan de Onate founded the first Spanish colony in New Mexico close to San
Juan Pueblo near the confluence of the Rio Chama and the Rio Grande in 1598.
It and later colonies like Santa Fe were connected to Mexico City via El
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a trail that followed more ancient footpaths
along the Rio Grande. The route was used by settlers, missionaries, armies,
and traders for almost 300 years until it fell into disuse after the railroad
reached New Mexico in the 1880s.

New Mexico’s rivers have always been challenging for boating. This
is because some of them are filled with stretches of whitewater while others
are ephemeral or intermittent and dry much of the year. Today, sections
of the rivers are popular for canoeing, kayaking, rafting, tubing, camping,
and fishing; and the lakes are popular for recreational boating and fishing.

What sites are underwater?

Many of New Mexico’s artificial lakes contain the ruins of prehistoric
and historic sites and towns that became inundated when the reservoirs were
filled with water. This includes 5,000 year old Archaic Period sites, 14th
century pueblos, 17th century Navajo sites, 19th century Hispanic ranches,
and 20th century homesteads. Some reservoirs contain the remnants of camps
associated with construction of the dams. Many sites in reservoir pools
are permanently submerged while others are seasonally inundated.

Although the navigability of New Mexico’s rivers is limited, the
rivers have the potential to contain a range of underwater sites from prehistoric
to historic times. The possibilities include wrecked or sunken canoes, rafts,
and other vessels, and submerged remains related to bridges and ferry landings.

Who takes care of New Mexico's underwater archeological sites?

The New Mexico Department
of Cultural Affairs has overall responsibility for the state’s
archeological sites. The Department accomplishes much of this work through
its Office of Archaeological Studies, the Historic Preservation Division,
and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. The Department cooperates with
the New Mexico State Land Office, the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural
Resources Department, and other state agencies that own or manage state
lands.

The Office
of Archaeological Studies conducts research to identify, interpret and
share information about New Mexico’s archeological sites. Much of
the work is done on behalf of state agencies and private entities whose
development projects may impact sites.

The Historic
Preservation Division identifies, documents, and nominates archeological
sites to the State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register
of Historic Places; coordinates archeological review and compliance activities;
promotes archeological public education and outreach; and protects and preserves
significant sites. The Division maintains information about the state’s
sites in an online Archaeological Records Management Section and, with the
State Archaeologist, reviews applications for state archeological permits.

The Museum
of Indian Arts and Culture is the state’s repository for archeological
materials from state lands. The Museum accepts donations of artifacts from
private lands in New Mexico, and cares for materials from some Federal and
tribal lands in New Mexico as long-term loans.

The Federal Government takes care of many archeological sites in New Mexico
because it holds about 42% of the land in the state. This includes public
and Indian land managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the respective
Indian tribes, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, the National
Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Defense.

What permits do I need to study shipwrecks?

You need a permit from the New Mexico Cultural Properties Review Committee
to conduct archeological investigations on lands owned, controlled or operated
by the state, or to conduct archeological investigations using mechanical
earth-moving equipment on private land. Permits are issued to qualified
applicants with the concurrence of the State Archaeologist, the State Historic
Preservation Officer, and the public or private landowner. You need a Permit
for Archeological Investigations from the appropriate federal agency to
conduct archeological surveys and excavations on federally owned or controlled
land.

What laws concern underwater archeology in New Mexico?

New Mexico’s laws about its archeological sites are in Chapter 18
(Libraries, Museums and Cultural Properties) in the New
Mexico Statutes. This includes the Cultural Properties Act in Article
6, the Cultural Properties Protection Act in Article 6A, and the Prehistoric
and Historic Sites Preservation Act in Article 8. Related regulations are
in Chapter 10 (Cultural Properties and Historic Preservation) of Title 4
(Cultural Resources) in the New
Mexico Administrative Code.

Many federal laws provide authorities for protecting and managing archeological
sites. Some of these laws apply government-wide while others are agency-specific
and apply to particular lands or resource types. A list
of laws and other authorities is posted on the History and Culture page
of the National Park Service’s website.